1. 1. How have you performed on the Unit O and P tests?
What evidence do you have from your work in the unit that supports your
test grade (good or bad)? Be specific and include a minimum of three
pieces of evidence.
RESPOND HERE:
My Unit
O and P test performance haven’t been my best so far this year. I received a
52% the first time I took the Unit O test which is my worst grade I have
received the whole year. Though I received a low grade I was given another
opportunity to retake the whole test for a better grade. I am grateful that I
had the chance, but my performance once again wasn’t what I expected. I
received a 73% on my retake which is a whole letter grade better than how I did
last time, but I still didn’t feel that was good enough. I was actually was surprised
I received this grade because I studied a
lot and felt confident, but I received a score that I wasn’t really expecting.
For example I re-watched all the videos again and did extra problem to get
ready for the retake. Moving on to my
Unit P performance I received a 76% on my test. I understand the grade I got
because I did foolish mistakes on the test. For example I used the numbers for
problem number two as problem number four.
2. You are able to learn material in a variety of
ways in Math Analysis. It generally follows this pattern:
→ Your initial source of information is generally
the video lessons and SSS packets followed by a processing and reflection
activity via the WSQ
→ individual supplemental research online or in
the textbook before class
→ reviewing and accessing supplementary resources
provided by Mrs. Kirch on the blog
→ discussion with classmates about key
concepts
→ practice of math concepts through PQs
→ formatively assessing your progress through
concept quizzes
→ cumulatively reviewing material through PTs
→ Final Assessment via Unit Test.
Talk through each of the steps given in the
following terms:
a. How seriously do you take this step for your
learning? What evidence do you have to support your claim? Make
sure to make reference to all 8 steps.
b. How could you improve your focus and attention
on this step to improve your mastery of the material? What specific next
steps would this entail? Make sure to make reference to all 8 steps.
RESPOND HERE:
a. In this class I know that I have to take it seriously because
this course is honors. I took the choice to being in this class. If I took this
decision I had to know that I needed to be prepared with the workload and method
of learning I was going to be receiving. The SSS packets and the videos that go
with it is something that I take very very seriously. I take it seriously because
it is the base of the math class, if I don’t watch the videos I don’t know what
we are learning. Doing the WSQ is helpful because it helps me understand more
to the video. For example if I missed a part of the video and there was a
question about it in the WSQ I would go back to the video and watch for what
the WSQ question is asking. Doing this makes me understand the part that I
accidently didn’t see or understood. Included in the blog there are
supplemental videos or links that are provided to further help in the learning
of the Unit. These are things that I occasionally look at when I am having
trouble understanding the unit. For example in Unit O I forgot how SOCCAHTOA
went and I looked on the supplemental videos and links to help me review it.
They were very helpful because I understood and remembered how to solve them.
Another thing I do to research something when I don’t understand is looking at
YouTube videos that go with the Unit we are learning. Some help me clarify
questions that I had or I find shortcuts on how to solve the problems. Another
outer source I use is going to tutoring with my friend who is currently in
calculus. She has helped me throughout the year with helping me understand simpler
ways in doing my math and has motivated me to do well. Now as for class work
such as the PT’s and PQ’s I do take those extremely seriously because this is
my review for the test. For example if I
am stuck on the PQ’S I ask my group members for help and if we don’t understand
it we got to the U with Mrs. Kirch to get assistance with solving them. As well
as using these methods for help I ask my tutor for help to clarify each step in
solving the problems. In the beginning of the year I would stay every Wednesday
to tutoring because I had started the year of with the wrong foot in math. We
would go over Units A-D to get ready for the big test. We would even stay on library
late nights for about 3 hours to review for the test. The WPP’S and blog post are something that has
helped me with the test. For example recently my partner for the WPP did a problem
that I had trouble understanding and thanks to her choosing that particular
problem for her WPP I understood it and
got it right on the test. The quizzes are something I have trouble with. I am
going to be honest here I fall under category of taking the quiz when I am not
really prepared and not truly taking it when I know the concept. When doing
this I am acting like a cheese bucket student and am doing myself wrong because
it’s just affecting not only my quiz grade but my test grade as well. This is
an area of improvement where I need to work on.
b.
Improving
each step is something I need to focus on now. Especially with a tough unit ahead
I need to start trying even harder to focus on my work. Listening carefully and
pausing the video when her notes pop up to read is something I can improve on.
This will help when answering the WSQ because I would know how to answer the
question more extensively. Not only will improving my skills for watching the video
help me on my WSQ answers it will also help
me understand the unit more and it would also help with solving my PQ’S and PT’S.
The supplemental videos is something I
could look at in every Unit instead of only when I need help and taking time to
look at them might even help me with improving my quiz and test grades. I could
use it for some extra practice. Next
doing my PT’S and PQ’S without the assistance of my SSS packet is something I
am going to work on for the Units ahead. Doing this will prepare me for the
test because when I take the test I don’t have the SSS packet next to me I have
it all in my head. I need to memorize any formula, and each steps taken to
solve the problems. Communication is a key element in this classroom; I need to
communicate with Mrs. Kirch and my group whenever I am struggling with something.
This I am doing great with because if I need help with something I go out there
to get it answered. Since there will be no quizzes, it is being replaced with more
blog work. Blog work is something that helps with showing my personal work and
it depicts my understanding of it. This also helps me focus on difficult
problems, by focusing on difficult problems I mean that I try and do my blog
work on the problems I don’t understand. For example recently the lasts WPP’S I
chose problems that I had trouble with in doing so I understood how to work the
problems out. As for quizzes if we do take some for future units I will review
my notes more and take it when I truly understand the concept. All in all I will
try even harder to get to my goal of achieving an A in the class. Even though the
units ahead will be tougher I will try my absolute best to get my work done in
the best way.
3. Reflect on your learning this year thus far by
considering the following questions:
a. How confident do you generally feel on
the day of a Unit Test? Give evidence and specifics to back up your
answer.
b. How well do you feel you have learned the
math material this year as compared to your previous years in math? Give
evidence to support your claim.
c. How DEEPLY do you feel you have learned
the math material this year as compared to your previous years in math?
Give evidence to support your claim.
d. Do you normally feel like you understand
the WHY behind the math and not just the WHAT/HOW? Meaning, do you
understand why things work, how they are connected to each other, etc, and not
just the procedures? Explain your answer in detail and cite specific
evidence from this year.
e. How does your work ethic relate to your
performance and success? What is the value of work ethic in real life?
RESPOND HERE:
This
year math has been really great!! I was exposed to a new method of learning
called the Flip Classroom. I am going to be honest, at first I wasn’t so fond
about this method, but as time went by I grew to love this method of learning. This
method has changed the way I have been taught from the previous years in math. I
received good grades in my passed math classes; passing with A’s all three
years with having learned from the traditional teacher lectures. My previous
math teachers really focused on teaching the math the best way they could, I
believe they did succeed because I understood the concepts they taught me. They
were awesome teachers, but I feel like Mrs. Kirch takes higher standards with teaching.
Though I passed with A’s when it came to test questions that were review I would
have only have notes to look back, but sometimes I couldn’t figure out what I
had written and I would end up using YouTube as my review and with the flipped classroom I have videos to
go over and review for the test. Another thing is that this year with the
flipped classroom the teacher can help the students one on one whereas for my
previous years I would have to go to tutoring after or before school because class
time would run out for questions. This year since I already know what lesson we
are focusing on I come into the classroom prepared to ask questions. Even when I
am absent I know what lesson we are going to be working on because I have my WSQ
chart to know what I will be doing for the Unit. Next, understanding math analysis
has been difficult, but I try my hardest to apprehend it. In the beginning it
was tough because I had to get used to the flipped classroom. I started off the
year with a low grade and worked my way up to earn a B in the class. Coming
from a CP Algebra II class I believe it is a pretty good grade to earn though I
wished I could have received an A. This just pushes me to try harder for next semester
and earn an A in the class. As for
understanding what I have been learning can be hard at times, but I try my best
to understand it. For example knowing how the Law of Cosine and Law of Sines
came from was difficult to understand and derive, but when Mrs. Kirch explained
it to our group I understood where it came from. Furthermore in Unit Q there
are a lot of questions of why: Why does this formula have to be like this? or
Why does that go there? For example in the beginning of Unit Q we had to explain
where the ratios of tangent and cotangent came from and using the trig ratios I
figured it out. I understood this very
well because I practiced what the Unit Circle and what ratios went along with
it. This is a great example of why the flipped classroom is helpful because if
I didn't understand the trig functions I could have gone back to review them. Moreover test taking is something I struggle
with in the class. I do feel confident when taking test, but when I feel
confident my test grade turns out to be bad. Throughout the year I have received
grades ranging from an F to an A, but most fall in the average category of a
high C to mid B. Each unit I study to
get a good grade, but I have bad test taking skills. By bad test taking skills
I mean that when I see the test I freak out and struggle with focusing on my
work. Though this happens I try to calm down and remember what I was taught
from the videos. In the end I feel like I have grown since the beginning of the
year. As said previously I started the class with a low grade (D) and moved it to
a B. From this I learned that hard work does pay off because I was chosen to be
Student of the Six weeks which is something I am very grateful about.
